Safety device for wringers on washing machines



Nov. 14, 1939. HOKE SAFETY DEVICE FOR WRINGERS 0N wAsx-une MACHINESFiled March 22, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l iiiiiiiiiiiiiii ATTORNEY Nov. 14,1939. J, A, HOKE SAFETY DEVICE FOR WRINGERS ON WASHiNG MACHINES FiledMarch 22, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY I i 5. .l.

Patented Nov. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES SAFETY DEVICE FOR WRINGER-S ONWASHING MACHINES John A. Hoke, Reading, 'Pa., asslgnor of onehalf toRaymond B. Brown, Reading, Pa.

Application March 22, 1932, Serial No. 600,491

18 Claims. (Cl. 68-263) positioned at all times in front of the wringerThis invention relates to an improved safety device and whileparticularly adapted for various and any type of wringer, it isespecially designed for use'in connection with the E. J. Schuda type ofwringer, under Patent No. 1,709,098, where thewringer rolls are heldtogether yieldably by means of a bowed type of safety device, soconstructed as to render it adaptable to any type of wringer, whichincludes any form of tension release for the upper roll, and which mayserve a two fold purpose; first by eliminating ninety percent of thehazard of getting caught between the rolls and second by automaticallyreleasing all tension, in case the operator, children or animals becomecaught.

Another purpose is to provide a device of this kind, the constructionand adaptability of which eliminates the human element found in ordinarysafety devices by avoiding the thought required to reach and throw ofiany form of top lever in case of emergency.

Another purpose is to provide, in .a safety device of this kind, meansso guarding the wringer rolls as to cause the operator to exercise vide,in a safety device automatically operable' means so suspended in frontof the wringer'rolls,

so that when said means operates by an element in its path it releasesthe tensionon the upper wringer roll, and then should a large bulk oroverload enter between the rolls the upper roll separates and movessuiiiciently upwardly to release a latch and free the entire head of theframe of the wringer. 7

Another purpose is to provide means actuated by the safety device toshut off the power to the wringer, at thesame time relieving tension onthe upper wringer roll.

Still another purpose is to provide a screened guard operatively mountedin front of the rolls rendering it substantially impossible for anoperator to permit loose hair or articles of clothing to be caughtbetween the rolls.

Afurther purpose is to provide a safety device of this kind, wherein thescreened guard is rolls, so that should a foreign object be within rangeof the guard in such a' manner as to cause pressure on theguard orsafety device it is immediately susceptible to and instantly operated tothrow oil and relieve tension on the upper roll before any injury canresult.

A still further purpose is to providean improved safety device soconstructed and arranged, so that in case an operator be tempted toplace large bulk through and overload the rolls, the actual existence ofthe guard or safety device in front of the rolls will create in the mindof the operator the thought to lessen the bulk and not overload therolls, which no doubt in many instances will create the thought to bevery careful and prevent any foreign element from engaging between therolls as well as creating extreme care in passing clothing between therolls; however should the operator entirely ignore the existence of theguard or herein given are in no way limitative, and that while stillkeeping within the scope of the invention, any desired modification ofdetails and proportions may be made in the construction of the applianceaccording to circumstances.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts to behereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings: 4

Figure 1. is a view in elevation of a Schuda type of wringer showing theimproved safety device as applied.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the same type ofwringer illustrating the safety device as having been actuated-the headof the wringer frame having been released and partially raised togetherwith the upper roll of the wringer.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the wringer with the safety guards applied.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view of the wringer showing theguards set in order to be Figure is a view showing the safety guards ashaving been actuated.

v lugs toward the notches.

Figure 6 is a detail view of a portion of the clamps 25 illustrating theswitch for shutting off and turning on the electric power..

Figure '7 is a view of a modified form where one of the safety guardsactuates a clutch to relieve power to the lower wringer roll.

Figure 8 is a plan view of Figure '7.

Referring to the drawings l identifies a wringer frame of the Schudatype, which comprises the end standards 2 and upper'and lower wringerrolls 3 and 4, the head 5, and the guide trays 6, one on each sideadapted for guiding the clothes between the rolls. The head is looselypivoted at I at one side of the frame, while the other end of the headis loosely supported on the opposite standard of the frame.

The end standards are hollow and mounted in both of them are guideblocks 8 in bearings of which the upper wringer roll 9 is mounted. Oneof the guide blocks is grooved as shown at H) to receive the U shapedstrap II, which is pivoted at l2 to one end of the head of the frame.Also on the pivot l2 a retaining hook I3 is mounted. The two sides ofthe retaining hook engage lugs M on one of the standards of the frame tolock the head in position.

The head of the frame is hollow, therefore vU shaped in cross sectionand mounted in the head is a bowed spring l5. One end of the spring l5engages in the U shaped strap and rests upon the grooved guide block.The other end of the bowed spring bears against the opposite guideblock, thereby exerting tension on the upper wringer roll to hold therolls together.

The sleeve l6 passes through an opening IT in the top wall of the head,and the lower end of the sleeve has diametrically opposite lugs l8,adapted to engage in notches I9 of the undersurface of the top wall ofthe head when the looking lever 20 (which is integral with the sleeve)is arranged in locked position to tension the bowed spring of the slideblocks. A pin 22 is carried by the bowed spring and has its upper endswivelly mounted in the sleeve, there being a screw threaded through thelocking lever and adapted to bear against the pin to increase ordecrease the tension of the bowed spring, and thereby regulating thepressure between the two rolls of the wringer. The notches l9 arediametrically .opposed, and merging toward the notches are inclined camsurfaces 213,, with which the diametrically opposite lugs l8 cam to ridethe Mounted on the head 5 is a frame 24 comprising the end U shapedclamps 25 which straddle the head, the lower ends of the arms of the Uclamps have hooks 26 which overhang the lateral flanges 21 of the head.These U clamps are connected by the bars 28. Projecting laterally fromthe arms of the U clamps are ears. 29, in bearings of which on bothsides of the head rocking shafts 30 are mounted. Integral with theshafts are frames 3| having wire fabric or mesh shields 32. These frames3! and the fabric 32 constitute safety devices or guards, substantiallyin front of the wringer rolls, acting to shield or guard the rolls toprevent too great a bulk being inserted between the rolls. Obviously thelocation of the guards or safety devices act to create the thought tothe operator not to insert too great a bulk between the rolls, as wellas cautioning the operator against placing the operators fingersor.allowing hair of the operators head from getting too close to therolls and being drawn therethrough.

Also carried by the shafts 30 of the guards or safety devices are arms33, which overlie the head 5 of the wringer frame. These arms 33 areangular comprising the transverse parts 35 and the substantiallyvertical parts 36, the latter parts 36 constituting shoulders engagingagainst the sides of the locking lever carried by the sleeve I6. Whenthe locking lever is arranged in a locking position in order to hold thebody spring down against the guide or slide blocks, it lies in aposition in register with the head of the frame. In other words in planview the locking lever registers in parallelism with the head of theframe, therefore in engagement with the upstanding parts 36 of saidarms, and in this instance the guards or safety devices assumepositionsextending laterally outwardly and downwardly.

Obviously should these guards or safety devices come in contact with anyforeign element, namely the hands of. the operator or too great a bulkof material passing between the rolls, the guard or safety device,it'depending entirely on which side the clothesare being fed between therolls, the

the arms carried by the shaft 38, hence causing the upstanding part orshoulder 36 to contact with the locking lever, and thereby move it outof registering parallelism with the head, consequently the sleeveof-therocking lever likewise partially rotates at least a quarter turnwhich will cause the lugs I8 to disengage the notches I9, and hencepermit the sleeve to assume a loose position in the head, and therebyrelease the tension on the bowed spring. Hence since there is no tensionon the bowed spring the upper wringer roll is free to move upwardly,therefore there would be no cooperative action between the wringer rollssuch as would pull any foreign element between the rolls. The opening inthe head and through which the sleeve engages has diametrically oppositegrooves 31 which will permit the lugs I8 to engage therein when thesleeve is free to move loosely upwardly into the opening.

It is obvious that this safety device not only automatically releasesthe roll tension, but at the same time stops the motor prior to seriousinjury to persons or animals. Also the safety device is in full viewattracting the operator .or any other person's attention in order torender them cautious against allowing hair orarticles of clothing frombeing caught between the rolls. In other words the safety device acts asmeans to compel the operator to exercise care, and to be conscious ofdanger at all times when feeding the rolls. It is obvious that thedevice is capable of being adapted to any and all types of wringers, fornot only relieving the tension on the upper roll, but

also for shutting off the power to the wringer.

Furthermore the device is fool-proof since it eliminates the necessityof reaching toward and throwing off any levers or switches, in order tostop the machine.

In order to utilize the safety guards for causing the power to be shutoff a two button electric switch 40 is carried by one of the clamps 25,and the wires M from the switch may connect with any type of electricmotor (not :hown) which may be geared in any well known manner to thelower wringer roll, so that by operating the switch the current to themotor may be shut oiT.- The switch is of a type having two buttons 42and 43, so that by pushing the button 42 (in which case the button 43will move outwardly) the current to the motor can be turned on, and bypushing the button 43 inwardly the button 42 will protrude, and henceshut off the current to the motor. To operate these buttons one of theshafts 30 has a collar 44 made fast thereon, and carried by the collarare two arms 45 and 46, the former in contact with the button 42, andthe latter in contact with the button 43, so that when the safety guards'are in positions as shown in Figure 4 the button 42 is pushed inwardly,in which case the motor (not shown) is receiving current, and power isbeing transmitted to the lower wringer roll. However when one of theguards is actuated by the operators hand coming in contact with it'orsome other foreign element, the safety guard will switch toward thewringer rolls, in which case the shaft 30 will rock and thereby push thebutton-43 of the switch inwardly and the button 42 outwardly, therebyshutting off the current to the motor. If the safety guard which has nodirect connection with the buttons of the switch is actuated, the othersafety guard,-which has a direct connection with the two button switchwill move to a position shown in Figure 5 by gravity, the gravity beingsufiicient to operate the buttons of the switch.

In Figures 7 and 8 another means for shutting off the power to the lowerwringer roll is illustrated. In other words a shaft 41, acting as adriving element isprovided. A motor may be geared to this shaft in anywell known manner. The pintle 48 of the lower wringer roll is axially inline with the driving shaft 41, and a clutch 49 cooperates with the twoshafts 41 and 48. This clutch 49 comprises one clutch member 50, whichis fast to the shaft 41, while the other clutch member 5| is capable ofa sliding move ment on the pintle 48, but capable of rotating with thepintle. The usual grooved boss or collar 52 is fast with the clutchmember 5|, and engaging the groove 53 of the boss or collar is a forkedmember or arm 54, which has a sleeve 55 fast with the pin 56 mounted ina bearing 51 of an arm 58 which forms an integral part of one of the Ushaped clamps 25. Also fast on the pin 56 is an arm 59, to which a link60 is connected. The link 60 is in turn pivotally connected at 6| to oneof the safety guards, so thatwhen the safety guard is actuated inwardlytoward the wringer rolls movement is imparted to the link 60transmitting movement to the arm 59, rocking the pin 56, and in turnactuating the member 54, hence moving the member 5| out of cooperationwith the clutch member 49 against the action of the spring 62 interposedbetwe n the frame of the wringer and the boss of the clutch member 5|,in which event the wringer is thrown out of gear with the driving shaft41. The two clutch members 50 and 5| are designed to have the usualinterengaging elements (not shown).

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed is:

1. In a wringer including a frame with upper and lower wringer rollsthereon, said frame having a removable head with means therein forurging tension on the upper wringer roll, locking means for thetensioning means and for locking the head including a movable device,and manually movable means operatively supported on the head withelements in the path of the movable device for releasing the movabledevice and relieving the tensioning means thereby unlocking wringerrolls mounted therein and having a detachable head, tensioning means inthe head for urging tension on the upper wringer roll, a movable elementhaving locking means for locking the tensioning means in tensionedposition for locking the head, and-manual oscillatory guards on oppositesides of the head provided with means in the path of the movable elementfor actuating the same and releasing the locking means for unlocking thehead and thereby relieving the tensioning urge on the upper wringerroll.

3. In a wringer, a frame with upper and lower wringer rolls mountedtherein and having a, detachable head, tensioning means in the head forurging tension on the upper wringer roll, a movable element havinglocking means for locking the tensioning means in tensioned positionthereby locking the head, safety guards swingingly suspended on oppositesides of the head and being manually operated and having devices indiametrically opposite paths of the movable element, whereby uponmovement of either uard, the movable element actuates and releases thelocking means for unlocking the head thereby relieving the tensioningurge on the upper wringer roll.

4. In a wringer, a frame with upper and lower wringer rolls mountedtherein and having a detachable head, tensioning means inthe head forurging tension on the upper wringer roll, a movable element havinglocking means for locking the tensioning means in tensioned positionthereby locking the head, a second frame mounted on the head, manuallyoperated safety guards swingingly suspended on the second frame onopposite sides of the head and substantially in the path of the wringerrolls, arms carried by the safety guards and having means engaged withthe movable element at diametrically oppo site points, whereby wheneither safety guard is manually tilted the movable element is actuatedand the locking means released and the head unlocked, thereby relievingtensioning urge on the upper wringer roll.

5. In a wringer, a frame with upper and lower wringer rollsmountedtherein and having a detachable head, tensioning means in thehead for urging tension on the upper wringer roll, a movable elementhaving locking means for locking the tensioning means in tensionedposition thereby locking the head, a second frame having U shaped clampsstraddling the head of the first frame and provided with means to holdthe second frame in position, bars connecting the U shaped clamps,manually operated safety guards swingably suspended in bearings of thesecond frame and depending substantially in the path of the contactingpoint between the wringer rolls, said safety guards having meansengaging with the movable element at diametrically opposite points,whereby upon a foreign object engaging either one of the safety guardsand actuating it toward the wringer rolls, the movable element actuatesand unlocks and releases the locking means for unlocking the head,thereby relieving the tensioning urge on the upper wringer roll.

6. In a wringer, a frame with upper anti lower roll, manually operatedsafety means on the head, and means actuated by the manually operatedsafety means for shutting OE and turning on said operating means, asecond frame mounted on the head and operatively supporting the manuallyoperated safety means, tensioning means in the head for urging tensionon the upper roll, a movable element having locking means for lockingthe tensioning means in tensioned position thereby locking the head, andmeans carried by the manually operated safety means and being in thepath of the movable element, whereby as the safety means operates saidmovable element operates to relieve the tensioning means for unlockingthe head, so that the upper roll is freev to move upwardly.

7. In a wringer, a frame, upper and lower upper driven roll holding itin contact with the driving roll, a movable element on the head havinglocking means for locking the tensioning means in tensioned position forlocking the head, a second frame removably supported on the head,manually operated safety guards swingingly suspended on the second frameon opposite sides of the head and substantially in the path of thewringer rolls, means carried by the safety guards and being indiametrically opposite positions to the movable element and engaged withthe movable element at diametrically opposite points, whereby wheneither safety guard is manually tilted the movable element is actuated,the looking means released and the head unlocked, thereby relievingtensioning urge on the upper wringer roll.

8. In a wringer, a frame, upper and lower driven and driving wringerrolls mounted in said frame, a detachable head for said frame,tensioning means in the head for urging tension on the upper driven rollholding it in contact with the driving roll, a movable element on thehead having locking means for locking the tensioning means in tensionedposition for locking the head, a second frame removably'supported on thehead, manually operated safety guards swingingly suspended on the secondframe on opposite sides of the head and substantially in the path of thewringer rolls, means carried by the safety guards and being indiametrically opposite positions to the movable element and engaged withthe movable element at diametrically opposite points, whereby wheneither safety guard is manually tilted the movableelement isactuatedQthelocking means released and the head unlocked, there'- by relievingtensioning urge on the upper wringer roll, means for operating thedriving roll, and

means connected to and operated by one of the manually operated safetyguards and in turn connected to and actuating an element of the drivingroll, operating means for stopping and starting said driving rolloperating means.

9. The combination with a wringer frame provided with driving and drivenwringer rolls and having a detachable head provided with means forlocking the head on the wringer frame, of means interiorly of thedetachable head for tensioning the driven roll against the driving roll,said tensioning means being operatively associated with the lockingmeans to retain the head locked, a movable element operatively mountedon the head and including means connected to and urging the tensioningmeans, manually operated safety means suspended on the head fromopposite sides thereof and including devices in diametrically oppositepaths of the movable element for actuating same for releasing tension onthe driven roll and unlocking the head.

10. The combination with a wringer frame provided with driving anddriven wringer rolls and having a detachable head provided with meansfor locking the head on the wringer frame, of means interiorly of thedetachable head for tensioning the driven roll against the driving roll,said tensioning means being operatively associated with the lockingmeans to retain the head vlocked, a movable element operatively mountedon'the head and including means connected to and urging the tensioningmeans, manually operated safety means suspended on the head fromopposite sides thereof and including devices in diametrically oppositepaths of the movable element for actuating same for releasing tension onthe driven roll and unlocking the head, a mechanism including means foroperatively connecting and disconnecting the mechanism to the drivingwringer roll, and means connecting said manually operated safety meansand said connecting and disconnecting means for stopping and startingthe driving wringer roll.

11. The combination with a wringer frame provided with driving'anddriven wringer rolls and having a detachable head, of a mechanism forlocking the head to the wringer frame, a movable element rotatable on anarc to actuate the locking mechanism to unlock the head, a pair ofopposing manually operated safety devices suspended on the head uponopposite sides thereof and in the path of the wringer rolls and havingmeans in diametrically opposite paths of the movable element and adaptedto actuate the same to unlock the head.

12. The combination with a wringer frame having driving and drivenwringer rolls and provided with a detachable head, of a mechanism forlocking the head to the wringer frame, a movable element operativelymounted on the head rotatable on an arc in one direction to actuate themechanism to lock the head, a second frame operatively straddling andcarried by the head, a pair of manually operated safety devicessuspended from the second frame on opposite sides of the wringer framein the path of the wringer rolls, and means operable and carried by themanually operated safety devices and in diametrically opposite paths ofthe movable element for moving same in the opposite direction to unlockthe locking mechanism and release the head. 13. The combination with awringer frame having driving and driven wringer rolls and provided witha detachable head, of a mechanism for locking the head to the wringerframe, a movable element operatively mounted on the head rotatable on anarc in one direction to actuate the mechanism to lock the head, a secondframe operatively straddling and carried by the head, a pair of manuallyoperated safety devices suspended from the second frame on oppositesides of the wringer frame in the path of the wringer rolls, and meansoperable and carried by the manually operated safety devices and indiameting driving. and driven wringer rolls and provided with a wringerframe head, of a second frame carried by and straddling the head, a pairof manually operated safety devices suspended from the second frame onopposite sides of the wringer frame in the path of the wringer rolls, anoperating means for the driving roll, said controlling means includingan element carried and operated by one of the manually operated safetydevices for actuating the controlling means for stopping and startingthe driving roll.

15. The combination with a wringer frame having driving and drivenwringer rolls'and provided with a wringer frame head, of a second framecarried by and straddling the head, a pair of manually operated safetydevices suspended from the second frame on opposite sides of the wringerframe in the path of the wringer rolls, an operating means for thedriving roll, said controlling means including an element carried andoperated by one of the manually operated safety devices for actuatingthe controlling means for stopping and starting the driving roll, andmeans for holding the second frame on the head.

16. In a wringer including a frame with a removable head thereonconstituting an element of the frame, upper and lower wringer rollsmounted in said frame, means in said head for urging tension on theupper wringer roll, locking means for the tensioning means and forlocking the head including a movable device, and manually movable meansextending across the front of the wringer operatively supported on theframe with elements in the path of the movable device for releasing themovable device and relieving the tensioning means thereby unlocking thehead, when the manually movable means are actuated toward therolls.

17. In a wringer, the combination of a frame; rolls mounted in theframe; a top bar; pressure means for the rolls exerting pressure fromthe top bar; and a safety device comprising a trip bar carried by thetop bar extending across the front of the wringer, and means actuated bythe trip bar releasing the pressure means.

18. In a wringer, the combination of a frame; rolls mounted in theframe; a top bar; pressure means for the rolls exerting pressure fromthe top bar; and a safety device comprising trip bars carried by the topbar and extending across the front and rear of the wringer, and meansresponsive to the action of the trip bars'releasing. the pressure means.

JOHN A. HOKE.

